NTAC was founded in 1999, by a group of experienced transgender lobbyists, who discovered after lobbying the United States Congress in May 1999 that other organizations that were ostensibly supportive of rights for transgender people had been lobbying against the interests of the transgender community. This was documented in a report, circulated within the transgender community, called the 'transflakes' report.[citation needed]

NTAC was founded as a 501(c)(4)political lobbying organization in Virginia in 2000. NTAC hosted its first lobbying event in 2001,[1] and has organized lobbying events in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009. NTAC keeps detailed description and statistics of what is said to its lobbyists, for future reference by activists.

Philosophically, NTAC differs from other transgender advocacy organizations in that its board is a working board of experienced lobbyists and activists, has no paid employees, has no paid office space, has not taken any money from any other organization, and remains independent and transparent in its activities, goals, and work.

The board has undergone many changes of personnel
over the years, as board members have had a high turnover rate. This has been balanced by the activists who joined the board who grew in knowledge and stature during their board terms. However, from its beginning, each lobbying visit to Washington, D.C. that NTAC has planned and executed has been very effective, netting useful information on the changing points of view of elected officials, building a database of useful information on the Congress, and training more citizen-lobbyists.